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fish tacos, red cabbage slaw + spicy crema

It’s beautiful outside! I mean the type of breathtaking beautiful that makes you want to sing out loud, dance without music and laugh at seemingly nothing at all. I don’t know about you, but on days like this I get a craving for tacos like none other. Oh, and a margarita (on the rocks, extra salt please)!

My first encounter with fish tacos was in Knoxville, TN (what are the odds) at La Costa (a restaurant that has long since closed). The owner graciously shared his laborious recipe with me ages ago and I’ve finally carved out a week night solution that is palette pleasing and super easy!

What you’ll need:

4 tilapia (or other mild-white fish) filets, cut in half lengthwise

1/3 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

1/3 all-purpose flour

3 tbsp. Cajun seasoning

1/2 small red cabbage shredded

1 serrano pepper finely minced

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tsp ground coriander

1 cup natural sour cream

1 tbsp sriracha

salt & pepper

1 large heirloom tomato diced

1/2 large onion diced

Juice of 1 lime

1 chopped handful of cilantro

8 flour tortillas

canola oil for frying

What you’ll do:

Combine sugar, vinegar, coriander and a bit of salt. Add cabbage and serrano pepper. Cover and allow to marinate in the refrigerator overnight or at least 4 hours. (Hello, red-cabbage slaw)!

Combine onion, tomato, lime juice, cilantro and a bit of salt. Then set aside (Pico de Gallo, done)!

Combine sour cream and sriracha, then set aside (spicy crema, Boom)!

Salt and pepper the fish filets generously on all sides.

Mix flour, cornmeal, and panko with cajun seasoning in a plastic bag (easy cleanup). Add the fish and shake well to coat with the breading.

Heat canola oil in frying pan to medium heat. Add fish filets (careful not to crowd the pan). And increase heat to medium-high.

Fry fish for about 3 minutes on each side or until the breading is a beautiful, golden brown.

While fish is frying rejuvenate those tortillas! You can either wrap in foil in a warm (300 degree) oven for about 7 minutes or place on the stovetop one at a time in a dry, high heat skillet for about 10 seconds on each side.